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Scholarships That Transform Lives

Rod Light | December 20, 2017

Meet Danielle, Mallie, Rio, and Jonathan, four students whose lives were changed by the generosity of donors to Life Pacific scholarship funds.

By: Rod Light

LPC Senior Danielle Burns wants to become a children’s pastor. “My heart is for children, that they will know and experience God’s love at an early age and begin laying a foundation of truth to build on for their future,” she says. Preaching Practicum was Danielle’s favorite class because it helped her step outside her comfort zone and learn how to study the Bible and effectively communicate it.

“My heart is for children, that they will know and experience God’s love at an early age and begin laying a foundation of truth to build on for their future.” -Danielle Burns, Dream Big Scholarship recipient

Danielle’s future at Life Pacific was in jeopardy this semester due to a shortage of funds and an inability to pay her tuition after exhausting all means of support. But God supplied through the Dream Big Scholarship Fund and she will graduate in the spring!

Danielle is not alone. Mallie Kerns, Rio Lopez, Jonathan Maravilla and others experienced similar circumstances and were surprised with a gift from The Dream Big Scholarship this month. The Dream Big Scholarship is funded by alumni and friends of LPC who want to make sure emergency situations are not barriers to students like these as they serve God in the Church and the marketplace.

It’s unthinkable to comprehend Life Pacific College without students like Mallie who loved a recent class on intercultural worship because it opened her horizons to various worship styles and practices around the world. “My big dream is to serve God in ministry and teach young people of different cultural backgrounds to understand God’s heart for worship,” she says.

“My big dream is to serve God in ministry and teach young people of different cultural backgrounds to understand God’s heart for worship,." - Mallie Kerns, Drean Big Scholarship recipient

Rio hopes to be a lead pastor where he can put to use what he is learning as a biblical studies major. This LPC junior is passionate about ministry, youth, and team-building. Jonathan shares Rio’s dream of becoming a pastor and enjoys connecting with people and working with youth.

LPC Vice President of Advancement Mike Meyers, M.A. says scholarships don’t provide all of the support for these and other students, but they do make it feasible for them to stay the course and remain in school until they complete their degree. “Some scholarships, such as the Dream Big, assist in those critical unexpected situations so they can, ‘Carry On,’ as our founder Aimee Semple McPherson would say, and complete their educational goals,” Mike says.

“Some scholarships, such as the Dream Big, assist in those critical unexpected situations so they can, ‘Carry On,’ as our founder Aimee Semple McPherson would say, and complete their educational goals.” - Mike Meyer, VP of Advancement

Danielle remembers how she felt as she struggled with an outstanding tuition bill. “A friend encouraged me, ‘God is so much bigger than this number.’ This has been such an encouraging reminder through the past few years. I have seen God provide countless times in my years at Life Pacific.”

Many students have financial barriers precluding them from following a dream of higher education. Mike Meyer says that scholarships allow those students to pursue their educational goals with a reduced financial burden. Most of our students also have jobs and are taking out loans, all while serving in the church in some capacity…while being a full-time student.

After graduation, the fact that scholarships have helped to reduce loan burdens allows our students to enter their ministry, or their chosen career path without the burden of insurmountable debt.

“A friend encouraged me, ‘God is so much bigger than this number.’ This has been such an encouraging reminder through the past few years. I have seen God provide countless times in my years at Life Pacific.” - Danielle Burns, Dream Big Scholarship recipient

“We strive to keep our tuition as the lowest among private, accredited, Christian colleges in Southern California,” Mike says. “We would not be able to accomplish this for our students without the scholarship support from generous partners and donors.”

Danielle, Mallie, Rio, and Jonathan are grateful for the godly generosity of others that has made such a difference in their lives.

“My faith has been stretched each semester and I have consistently seen God’s faithfulness,” Danielle says. “This scholarship means so much to me because I have learned what it means to take steps of faith trusting that God will provide.”

If you would like to be a part of what God is doing in the lives of our students financially, click here.